Snow!

Riding groom trails,or just plowing in the fresh stuff ? Kingdom trails have on their web site they are going to have trails for fatbikes this winter any word if thats up & running yet ? I`d like to get up & do some tele sking & snow riding in the same trip , I think that would be pretty cool

Riding groom trails,or just plowing in the fresh stuff ? Kingdom trails have on their web site they are going to have trails for fatbikes this winter any word if thats up & running yet ? I`d like to get up & do some tele sking & snow riding in the same trip , I think that would be pretty cool

I was out packing singletrack on the East side of Darling Hill. My understanding is that KTA has secured landowner permissions for east Darling Hill. They want to leave west Darling Hill for Nordic, at least for the time being.
The going was pretty easy between noon and 1:30 yesterday. We got some more snow since then, but even the untracked stuff should be rideable.
It's also my understanding that KTA went out and snowmobile packed some of the wider stuff on East Darling Hill yesterday, including Sugarhouse Run.
I'll try to get out this afternoon. Will report back later.

^^ Nice!!! The snowmo groomer went thru here last night, but this morning it was still too fluffy for a fat-trail-commute. Should be nicely packed after this weekend though. And Millstone FB says "Greetings powderhounds, we received 16 inches of snow and the Millstone Store will be open from Sat. through New Year's Day from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. We will have roughly 20 km of groomed ski trails, 10 km of track set and our new winter mountain bike trail will also be groomed. Come and join us on the hill....the management"

Snow is getting deep on East Darling Hill. Went out for 90 minutes solo today, managed Herbs climb with some pushing. Upper Kitchel is well tracked. Beat Bog, Leatherwood and Riverwood are all riding nicely, especially in the softwoods. Nates are pretty much the order of the day. I plan to get out again tomorrow. I might try to pack down East Branch and slog up to the top of Pines, as well as the other trails I mentioned. VAST is snowmobile churned, not very good going, though the snowmobile "packing" that KTA did of Sugarhouse Run is riding nicely.
Trail of the day: Riverwood.

I snowshoe packed a bunch of East Darling Hill stuff with Jeff today: top of Pines, widow maker, "to East Branch", East Branch, leatherwood, beat bog, top of Kitchel, Herbs. Didn't pack Riverwood, as it was already riding nicely.
Lots of "fast rolling" single track now. All the snowmobile stuff has set up well too.

Millstone is also open for snowbiking FWIW. Funny the Marquettes were mentioned. Such a fantastic thin cover ski, and the fat bikes are letting folks ride in more and more snow...there is a total overlap in seasons. Warm up after next this weekend could really get the fat bike scene firmed up.

tramped down a fatbike track in the back yard. had good fun on new years eve with guests riding in the soft snow, dodging the dog getting in the way, and the kids coming down the little 5' tall slide hill that i made. tough going all around, even at 4psi. too much sun on the snow all day, and the dog churned it up a bit.

snow was really deep in little river state park. access road was packed from logging trucks, and some of the lower trails might have been rideable late in the day - but we opted for skis to wander back towards cotton brook and then back.

hoping to get back there to explore some of the vast network, as well as riding on the trails that get back in by the snow shoers and mushers.

would be a cool place for a remote feeling meetup, but it might require some pushing.
cotton brook should get packed pretty well by the snowmos. then maybe a fire at one of the lean-tos - but we'd probably have to hike in wood.

^^ I had a tough sledding on New Year's Eve too. My fatbikecommute took 2.5 hours for 6.5 miles, owing mostly to too-soft surfaces. The Millstone section was the best, aided in part by the downhill direction, but on VAST the groomer came the other way and made it at least temporarily too soft. Then I got to my Marquetted trails, and 7 miles of skiing them back and forth over the weekend had been ruined by wicked postholers plus some extra new and/or windblown snow. Probably improved now but with the cold and needing to get to work on time I took the MTB road-route instead.

Yup. Despite 3 miles of 2 guys snowshoe-packing singletrack, conditions are still pretty soft at KT. The stuff that is covered by the spruces is riding well, as is the heavily trafficked stuff. Riverwood is the best, followed by Beat Bog and Kitchel/Herbs. I'm hoping the cold sets things up, or perhaps a freak freeze/thaw in the not too distant future.

Been having a great time riding the pugs around the intervale in Burlington - the groomed ski trails are great provided you get the pressure low enough. I'm waiting to replace the endomorph on the rear - not a big fan of that tire unless the snow is really well packed. I'm replacing with a husker du in the rear, but may try a Escalator or Surly Nate. I have a studded Dillinger on the front right now, and that is a huge improvement over the Larry in all conditions.

Another place I rode a lot last year was in Hinesburg - the town forest trails and the carse trails are quite epic and the snow doesn't change that. Unfortunately they don't see heavy use during winter so theres usually quite a bit of snow. The larger logging trails see more foot traffic and still make for great snowbiking. I road to the look out up there many times, couple places require walking on the way up, but the trip down is the real grin-getter. Anyone up for some Chittenden county fat biking, let me know - usually ride solo, but would be cool to hit some trails with some other folks.

I'm thinking Sunny Hollow in Colchester would be pretty good for snowbiking too, but haven't taken a ride there with the pugs yet. Any one riding fat in Essex or Williston? I was hoping we could use Catamount but I don't think they want fat bikes mucking with the xc ski business.

***Edited to add pic from Carse Hill lookout in Hinesburg last year, not much snow last year but when there was I was riding out there.

Been having a great time riding the pugs around the intervale in Burlington - the groomed ski trails are great provided you get the pressure low enough. I'm waiting to replace the endomorph on the rear - not a big fan of that tire unless the snow is really well packed. I'm replacing with a husker du in the rear, but may try a Escalator or Surly Nate. I have a studded Dillinger on the front right now, and that is a huge improvement over the Larry in all conditions.

Another place I rode a lot last year was in Hinesburg - the town forest trails and the carse trails are quite epic and the snow doesn't change that. Unfortunately they don't see heavy use during winter so theres usually quite a bit of snow. The larger logging trails see more foot traffic and still make for great snowbiking. I road to the look out up there many times, couple places require walking on the way up, but the trip down is the real grin-getter. Anyone up for some Chittenden county fat biking, let me know - usually ride solo, but would be cool to hit some trails with some other folks.

I'm thinking Sunny Hollow in Colchester would be pretty good for snowbiking too, but haven't taken a ride there with the pugs yet. Any one riding fat in Essex or Williston? I was hoping we could use Catamount but I don't think they want fat bikes mucking with the xc ski business.

***Edited to add pic from Carse Hill lookout in Hinesburg last year, not much snow last year but when there was I was riding out there.

there are a few of us in BTV area.
i ride the intervale often. haven't since we had the big snow dump, was skiing there a few days ago. i ride in the highschool woods, intervale, ethan allen, and north beach. out across the winooski bridge in delta park is fun to explore once the marshy areas freeze up.

i believe catamount is opening some trails for fatbikes. haven't been out there yet.

Making the best of it. Glad I took the Fargo with the studs, but the Pugs would have been nice, although I would have been waiting fro Greg on certain portions. The walking wasn't too bad, fun, beautiful out up there. Views to Mt. Hunger.

Catamount has opened all of their trails to fat bikes this year! Marc who does their trail work has been riding regularly. They would love to see more bikers out when conditions are firm like they are now.

MattG, that's cool that you're getting out on Carse. The VAST trail down to Hollow Rd is a fun climb and descent.

Catamount has opened all of their trails to fat bikes this year! Marc who does their trail work has been riding regularly. They would love to see more bikers out when conditions are firm like they are now.

MattG, that's cool that you're getting out on Carse. The VAST trail down to Hollow Rd is a fun climb and descent.

'tis the season!

All closed, as of the meltdown, according to their website.
Would be great if they put info on fatbiking on their site.
Lots in BTV that would head out there to ride!

Yup. Despite 3 miles of 2 guys snowshoe-packing singletrack, conditions are still pretty soft at KT. The stuff that is covered by the spruces is riding well, as is the heavily trafficked stuff. Riverwood is the best, followed by Beat Bog and Kitchel/Herbs. I'm hoping the cold sets things up, or perhaps a freak freeze/thaw in the not too distant future.

Hi Chris, how are the conditions looking up there? Thinking about a ride Saturday a.m. possibly.

We got about 3" powder overnight at Millstone, it rode great this morning.

Anywhere around Burlington in decent condition to ride a 2.3/2.4 big studs fs bike tomorrow ? Do you think Sunny Hollow Park would be rideable ?

I'm coming down in the Burlington area tomorrow and I'd like to squeeze in an hour or so of riding at least. So I gotta know if I bring my bike down or not.

Thanks !

looks like just a dusting today, at least from where i sit outside my window. damned cold though, and dropping. should be able to ride sunny hollow on studs. the big stuff all melted away - but i haven't been there since late fall.